The [orange] Moor has done his duty, the Moor can go: "Now, that we almost completely de-Obamanized America, it's time to get rid of the De-Obamanizer-In-Chief" – from the secret FBI recording of the Fat Cats Cafe. – M.N.

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Not only Trump, his campaign, connections, and his “trumpeteers” should be thoroughly investigated, but the whole issue of the Russian interference in American politics and political life for the last half a century, which is nothing new but just became evident and even obvious because of Putin’s brazenness and aggressive, malevolent, vindictive rage. This is the issue of the great omission and the dysfunctionality of the FBI, whose direct duty it is to deal with these problems. Thus, quite naturally, it should turn into the Congressional investigation of the FBI itself, its structure and moda operandi. If the FBI deficiencies and the long- standing historical dysfunctionality is not addressed and corrected, these problems, in one way, shape, form, or another, will persist inevitably and very dangerously. If the state’s and the country’s immune system – the FBI, is sick, then they become defenseless and helpless in the face of continuing, intensifying and difficult to foresee threats.

Trumpik, fire that guy Putin, its long overdue! (For not supporting the Clinton campaign…) And zis iz my honest opinion… – M.N. “The “I” word – impeachment” has a lot of “peaches” in it, and a lot of big red radishes with long tails, too. – M.N. “I offer you my own videotape”, said Vovchick Khan. “And I will make you an offer you can’t refuse”, replied Charlie. – M.N.

“Now, that we almost completely de-Obamanized America, it’s time to get rid of the De-Obamanizer-In-Chief” – from the secret FBI recording of the Fat Cats Cafe. – M.N.

Issue one: The Russian meeting

The meeting came amid an ongoing FBI inquiry and congressional hearings into possible Russian influence in the 2016 US election.

It also came a day after Mr Trump dismissed Mr Comey from his post.

On Monday, the Washington Post, followed by a number of other US outlets, said Mr Trump gave the Russian officials information relating to the Islamic State group (IS) that could have endangered the source of the information.

The information was reportedly deemed so sensitive it had not been shared with key US partners, let alone Russia, which is allied to US opponents in Syria.

Mr Trump later defended his right to share the information, and his national security adviser HR McMaster said the president’s actions were “wholly appropriate”.

On Wednesday, Mr Putin joked that the meeting did not unfold as had been portrayed.

“I spoke to him [Lavrov] today,” he said. “I’ll be forced to issue him with a reprimand because he did not share these secrets with us.”

Issue two: The Comey memo

What does it say?

While in charge at the FBI, Mr Comey was heading an investigation into possible Russian influence on the US election.

The Russia story has already claimed one victim – Mr Trump’s first national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was fired after misleading the government over his meetings with Mr Kislyak.

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Mr Comey wrote a memo following a meeting with the president on 14 February, revealing that Mr Trump had asked him to close an investigation into Mr Flynn’s actions.

He reportedly shared the memo with top FBI associates.

“I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go,” the president told Mr Comey, according to the memo. “He is a good guy.”

Mr Comey did not respond to his request, according to the memo, but replied: “I agree he is a good guy.”

The FBI chief was later fired by Mr Trump. The official reason was over his handling of the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while at the state department.

But Mr Trump said in an interview last week that “this Russian thing” was on his mind as he made the decision.

The official response

The White House denied the allegation that Mr Trump had tried to influence Mr Comey.

“The president has never asked Mr Comey or anyone else to end any investigation, including any investigation involving General Flynn,” it said.

In response to the New York Times report, a White House official pointed out that acting FBI director Andrew McCabe had testified last week that there had been “no effort to impede our investigation to date”.

The fallout

A senior Republican congressman has called on the FBI to hand over Mr Comey’s records of his contacts with Mr Trump.

In a letter to Mr McCabe, Mr Chaffetz said the memo, along with others made by Mr Comey from his meetings with the president, “raise questions as to whether the president attempted to influence or impede the FBI’s investigation”.

Has Trump obstructed justice?

Adam Schiff, the highest-ranked Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said this intervention by Mr Trump, if correct, amounted to “interference or obstruction of the investigation”.

The key legal statute is 18 US Code Section 1512, which contains a broad definition allowing charges to be brought against someone who “obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so”.

It has been pointed out that Mr Trump did have the legal authority to fire Mr Comey, but there is a legal precedent for otherwise lawful acts to be considered an obstruction of justice if done with corrupt intentions, the New York Times says.

However, former federal prosecutor Samuel Buell told the Times: “The evidence of improper purpose has gotten much stronger since the day of Comey’s firing.

“Trump has made admissions about that. And we now have evidence that he may have indicated an improper purpose previously in his communications with Comey about the Russia investigation.”

The I-word surfaces – Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington

The “I” word – impeachment – has already been broached by politicians as moderate as independent Senator Angus King of Maine. If this were a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, articles of impeachment would likely be in the drafting process.

Republicans still call the shots in Congress, however, and it’s a significant leap to get them to abandon the Trump presidency and any hope of advancing their agenda for the foreseeable future.

But some, like Senator John McCain – who said this has become a scandal of “Watergate size and scale” – are clearly wavering.

The former Republican presidential nominee is a bit of a wild card, of course.

For the rank-and-file to turn on the president will require them to admit their complicity in a failed presidency.

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